Trump Envoy Dismisses Starmer’s Ukraine Ceasefire Proposal as ‘Posturing’
A plan proposed by Sir Keir Starmer for an international coalition to bolster a ceasefire in Ukraine has been rejected as mere “posturing” by Donald Trump’s special envoy.
Steve Witkoff characterized the concept as based on a “simplistic” understanding, suggesting UK Prime Minister and European leaders believe they must emulate Winston Churchill’s wartime leadership.
During an interview with Tucker Carlson, a journalist known for supporting Trump, Witkoff voiced admiration for Vladimir Putin, stating he “liked” the Russian president.
“I don’t consider Putin a bad individual,” he remarked. “He is exceptionally intelligent.”
Witkoff Praises Putin, Echoes Russian Stances on Ukraine
Witkoff, who recently met with Putin, described the Russian president as “gracious” and “forthright.” He relayed that Putin mentioned praying for Trump following an alleged assassination attempt the previous year. He also indicated Putin had commissioned a portrait of Trump as a gift, which reportedly “touched” the former US president.
Throughout the interview, Witkoff reiterated several Russian viewpoints, including the assertion that Ukraine is a “false country,” and questioned when the global community would recognize occupied Ukrainian territory as Russian.
Questions Raised Over Witkoff’s Knowledge of Ukraine Conflict
Despite leading US ceasefire discussions with both Russia and Ukraine, Witkoff could not identify all five Ukrainian regions annexed or under partial Russian occupation.
He stated, “The primary issue in that conflict is these four regions, Donbas, Crimea, you know the names, and there are two others.”
The five regions, or oblasts, are Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea. Donbas is an industrial area in eastern Ukraine, encompassing a significant portion of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Disputed and Inaccurate Claims by Witkoff
Witkoff made several statements that are either untrue or contested:
- He claimed Ukrainian forces in Kursk were encircled, a claim denied by the Ukrainian government and unsupported by open-source intelligence.
- He asserted that the four partially occupied regions of Ukraine held “referendums where the vast majority of residents indicated their desire to be under Russian governance.” Referendums were conducted only in certain occupied areas of Ukraine at different times, with widely discredited methodologies and disputed outcomes.
- He stated the four partially occupied oblasts were Russian-speaking, implying this indicated support for Russia. While numerous Russian-speaking areas exist in Ukraine, this has never translated into uniform support for Russia.
Escalating Conflict: Drone Attacks and Casualties
The US is scheduled to hold separate discussions in Saudi Arabia with Ukraine and Russia regarding a potential ceasefire during meetings spanning Sunday and Monday.
In advance of these talks, Ukrainian authorities reported overnight Russian drone attacks on Kyiv, resulting in the deaths of three individuals, including a five-year-old child.
Officials reported eight additional injuries.
Russian forces also struck Zaporizhzhia on Friday, resulting in the deaths of a family of three.
Conversely, on Sunday, Russia’s defense ministry announced it had downed 59 Ukrainian drones across multiple southern regions, as well as Crimea — the peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
Witkoff Amplifies Kremlin Narratives on Invasion
During his interview, Witkoff also echoed various Kremlin talking points concerning the origins of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
He affirmed it was “accurate” that from Russia’s viewpoint, the partially occupied territories were now Russian territory: “The central issue is Ukraine’s constitutional limitations regarding territorial concessions. Russia effectively controls these territories. The question is whether the world will acknowledge them as Russian.”
He further added: “There is a prevailing sentiment in Russia that Ukraine is merely an artificial nation, haphazardly assembled from disparate regions, and that this is, in my opinion, the root cause of this conflict. Russia views these five regions as rightfully theirs since World War Two, a point seldom discussed.”
Putin has consistently cited NATO expansion and Ukraine’s independent existence itself as the “root causes” of his invasion, framing them as threats to Russia.
In the Tucker Carlson interview, Witkoff questioned: “Why would they seek to absorb Ukraine? For what purpose? They do not need to absorb Ukraine… They have reclaimed these five regions and Crimea, achieving their objectives. So why would they need more?”
Rejection of Starmer’s Security Proposal
Addressing Keir Starmer’s proposals to create a “coalition of the willing” to provide military security assurances for a post-war Ukraine, Witkoff commented: “I view it as a blend of posturing and a simplistic perspective. There’s this idea we all must emulate Winston Churchill. The notion of Russians marching across Europe is, frankly, ludicrous. We possess NATO, a security alliance absent during World War Two.”
Ceasefire Expectations and Future US-Russia Cooperation
He suggested a Black Sea ceasefire would be “implemented imminently” and a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire was “approaching.”
Witkoff also detailed Trump’s desire for cooperation with Russia following normalized relations. “Who opposes a world where Russia and the US engage in collaborative endeavors, exploring avenues to integrate Arctic energy policies, potentially share maritime routes, jointly supply LNG gas to Europe, or perhaps collaborate on AI?” he queried.